Parcel-carrier attachment.



N0. 654,0l5. Patented July I7, 1900.

' 0 J. MILLER.

PABCEL CARRIER ATTACHMENT.

I (Application filed- Apr. 12, 1900)- '(No Model.)

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UMTE STATES PATENT Germs,

CHARLES J. MILLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA PARCEL-CARRIER ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,015, dated July 17, 1900.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,548. We model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Parcel-Carrier Attachments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to parcel or package carrier systems employed in store-service, and has for its object the provision of means adapted to prevent oscillation of the basket or carrier as it arrives at the station and to take up the impetus and impact of the basket or carrier, so as to minimize the strain upon the wires, fixtures, and cars, prevent the crystallization of the wires caused bysuch oscillation, and consequently effectuate a material saving of wear, thereby greatly lengthening the life of such wires, fixtures, cars, &c., and also by preventing such oscillation permit the immediate lowering of the basket or carrier upon its arrival at the station without requiring the operator to wait, as has heretofore been necessary, for such oscillation to cease, thereby acquiring more speedy service and also preventing the falling of the baskets or carriers by being detached at the station by the operator before oscillation ceases.

My object is to provide such means in the most simple, cheap, compact, and efficient form and in such form as to be readily applied to carrier systems already installed.

To these ends my invention consists in the provision in connection with the station-frame of means whereby as the car arrives at the station and is there stopped all oscillation of the basket or carrier is prevented, the impetus or momentum of the basket being taken up by the yielding character of said means.

More specifically the invention consists in the combination, with the station, of yielding means whereby the basket or carrier is stopped and its impetus and impact taken up.

More specifically the invention consists in the combination, with the station, of yielding means in connection therewith in position to come in contact with the basket or carrier whereby the basket or carrier is stopped and and Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of my improved carrier attachment detached from its station.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the sending-out sta tion of the parcel or package carrier, and 2 is the carrier, mounted on the track in the ordinary manner. 2 3 3 are spools or short sleeves secured to thesteel rods 44, near the upper ends of the latter, said sleeves or spools 3 3 when in place at the carrier-station being slipped upon studs projecting from the station-frame 6. The lower ends of the steel rods 4 at are connected to the opposite vertical edges of a plate 6, which is preferably rectangular in form and serves as a buffer or bumper for the basket 7 of the carrier.

8 S are steel rods, which are connected at their lower ends with the edges of the plate 6 at substantially the same place as the rods e 4 enter said plate 6. Near their upper ends the rods 8 8 have collars 9 9 secured thereto by set-screws, and immediately above said collars 9 9 the steel rods 8 S are encircled by spiral springs 10 10, the upper ends of which abut against a cross-head 11, having holes 12 12 in its arms to receive the upper ends of said steel rods 8 S,the projecting upper ends of said steel rods 88 being provided with collars 13 18 for retaining said cross-head 11 therebetween. \Vhen the attachment is in place, the spools are slipped upon studs projecting from the carrier-frame and the cross-head 11 fitting over the rear projecting end of the carrier-frame.

The buffer or bumper is pivoted ata point above its center, so that it normally hangs in a perpendicular position. It is adapted, however, to adjust itself to the form of the end of the carrier or basket, so that whether the end of the basket is perpendicular or inclined the force of the impact of the basket or carrier against the bumper is distributed evenly over the end of the carrier or basket, lessening the force of the blow by such equal distribution, and thus avoiding unequal strain on any particular part of the basket.

Among the advantages of the above construction is that it takes away all strain from the wires, fixtures, and car occasioned by the oscillation (which is very severe in many cases) back and forth of the basket and contents, the bufter or bumper receiving such strain at a minimum of wear and tear. Moreover, it prevents the failure to catch caused by the recoil of the car out from under the catch and greatly reduces the wear and strain on the car-catch springs. It pre vents breakage'of the basket-rods connecting with the basket and basket-bails, prevents all strain on the car-fork springs, and prevents the basket being lowered into or against the cord-handle, thus preventing breakage of baskets.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- u 1. In a parcel-carrier attachment, the combination with the station-frame, of a bumper or bufier plate; the front connecting-rods; the rear connecting-rods; and a cross-head on the upper ends of said rear connecting-rods, substantially as specified.

2. In a parcel-carrier attachment, the combination with a station-frame, of a bumper or buflfer located below the station-frame and tion-frame, a movable buffer or. bumper carried thereby to receive the impact of the carrier, and means for limiting the movement of said parts and restoring same to'their normal position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a parcel-carrier attachment, the combination with the station-frame and basket or carrier, of a bumper or buffer pendent from the station-frame and yieldingly supported in position to come in contact with the basket or carrier and whereby said basket or carrier is stopped and its impetus and impact taken up, substantially as set forth.

5. A parcel-carrier attachment, comprising a suspending device to hang pendent from the station-frame, a bumper or butter carried thereby to receive the direct impact and impetus of the basket or carrier, and means in connection with said bumper or buffer whereby the impetus and impact of said basket or carrier are taken up and oscillation thereof prevented, substantially as set forth.

6. A-parcel-carrier attachment, comprising one or more front flexible connectingrods pendent from the station-frame, a bumper or buffer plate carried thereby to receive the direct impact of the basket or carrier, one or more yielding rear connecting-rods also pendent from the station-frame, and one or more springs cooperating with said rear connecting-rods, substantially as set forth.

7 A parcel-carrier attachment, comprising V suspending means, a bumper or butter plate pivoted thereto to receive the direct impact of the basket or carrier, and spring-pressed means cooperating with said plate whereby the impetus and impact of the basket or carrier are taken up and oscillation thereof prevented, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

CHARLES J. MILLER.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK I. LYON, GRAYCE E. STOCKING. 

